


we are such stuff as dreams are made of

by Arteluna



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Kinda a comic shop AU, Look I just want Vanya to be happy okay, Might be continued - but stands alone as it is, Mostly Fluff, Panic Attacks, mentions of past relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 06:10:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17975945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arteluna/pseuds/Arteluna
Summary: A while after everything gets resolved, Vanya finds herself outside of a comic shop. Going inside is the last thing she intends to do - but a pretty woman might be able to convince her otherwise.





	we are such stuff as dreams are made of

**Author's Note:**

> Tragically, this is unbetta-d. I just finished the show, and I needed to write _something_.

The comic store must have always been there - only a few blocks from her apartment - but Vanya had never walked that way before. The window was an explosion of colors, posters plastered against the inside of the glass. Through gaps in the coverage, Vanya could see dark rows of shelves, action figures arranged in neat rows. 

Of course Umbrella Academy was featured. Smiling out at her from one of the posters were approximations of little Luthor, dark-haired Allison, shy Diego and grinning Klaus. Five was central, a blue haze around his figure - about to disappear. Ben was in a corner, half-hiding behind Klaus. 

Vanya raised a hand to her ear, pressing her index finger against the plug hidden there. She’d wearing ear protection after, well, everything. Designed for musicians, they didn’t tune out everything, just made the world a little quieter. More manageable. Still, a car door slamming behind her made her jump, and her ears rang for a brief moment before she was able to force the energy to standstill. 

Maybe that’s why she didn’t notice the woman come up behind her. “Are you a fan?” Her voice was light, musical, but Vanya still jumped. _Don’t, don’t you dare._ “Oh, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

Vanya spent a moment taking in the woman’s reflection in the glass, waiting for her heartbeat to slow. Everything was distorted, hard to see with all the posters. She turned to face her. “I’m - I’m sorry, what did you say?”

The woman bit her lip, and black hair tipped with pink swayed around her face. She gestured to the poster with a tilt of her head. “The Academy. Is that your favorite comic?”

“Um.” That was hard to say. Her siblings were being nicer to her now, but… “Not really.” Vanya blinked at the woman as she smiled. _Shit. Say something else. Small talk, Vanya, come on._ Somehow, the voice in her head sounded distinctly like Allison. “Is...is it yours?”

“Nah.” The woman moved away, over towards the door. “It’s a little too real-not real, you know? Real people, super fake stories. Like, sanitized.” She pulled a set of keys from her pocket. There were so many keychains - all from franchises Vanya couldn’t recognize. “I’m opening up now, if you want to come in.” 

Vanya, without really understanding why, followed her inside.

“Gimme a sec to turn the lights and stuff on.” With her free hand, the woman pulled her hair up into a pink scrunchy. “Oh! I’m Natalie, by the way. Natalie Park.” 

“Van...Vanessa.” Vanya glances around the store. There were the figurines she remembered - her siblings, her father. He looked almost as severe as he had while alive. But there were other objects too. Superheroes in flamboyant costumes, but also what looked like regular people - and aliens, and robots, and...cowboys? Vanya picked up a comic with a band on the cover, all soft purples and vibrant pinks, then put it down quickly when Natalie turned back around.

“Have you got a favorite comic, Vanessa?”

“Not..not really.” Vanya walked over to the counter as Natalie sat down in a swivel chair. Below the glass were more comics, and bundles of playing cars. Everything was so bright, though the lights of the store were dim. “I haven’t read many...any, to be honest.”

Natalie laughed. “You know, that’s what I would have guessed. You don’t really seem the type - but I shouldn’t make assumptions.” She tapped on the counter in front of her. “This is my favorite series.”

Vanya leaned closer to see. _Hellboy._ On the cover of the comic was a man with red skin and what looked like shaved-down horns, standing on a skull. The background was mostly black, but what was visible in a smoke-like strip was a half destroyed cemetery. “Is he the villain, or…”

“Hero, actually. And there are other main characters who are awesome.” Natalie’s face lit up as she spoke, and she gestured animatedly for a moment as she explained about a woman who could create fire and a fish man. “But really, it’s more about a bunch of strange sort-of-people finding family in each other. Which is nice, you know?”

Vanya nodded, a little distracted by Natalie’s enjoyment, and the sparkle in her dark eyes. 

“It’s been running for a while, so it can be kinda hard to find a place to start,” Natalie continued. “Easier comics to start with tend to be the newer stuff - especially if you didn’t grow up with this kind of thing.”

Natalie turned away to rummage through a box behind her, the chair she was seated on tilting ominously. “Saga’s a great comic, if you like found families - and you don’t mind gore. And like, a lot of graphic sex.” Without being able to see Natalie’s face, Vanya found her abruptly much harder to follow. The words blurred a bit. _Should I take my earplugs out?_ Her heart was beating a little fast - and Vanya had no idea why. She decided against it.

All of the sudden, Natalie spun back around, an embarrassed look on her face. “I’m sorry, I’ve been blathering. Do you have anything in particular you’re looking for?”

“Um…” _Get it together, Number Seven. Calm down._ “No.” If Vanya could facepalm without it being too obvious, she would have. Jesus, she was so bad at holding a conversation. _You’re an adult. Act like it._ “Do you have any nonfiction?” _Oh god._

Natalie smiled again, and Vanya noticed for the first time a beautiful floral tattoo curling across her shoulder. “Yeah, actually! Let me take a look.” She stood, and walked over to a bookshelf near the back of the store, thumbing through the volumes. “Persepolis is great, but we might be sold out. Let’s look in the back.”

The back room was small, and dark, and Vanya followed Natalie a few steps inside before freezing. Between the stacked boxes was a long mirror - probably so the shopkeeper could see back into the shop while rummaging around. But all Vanya could see was her own face, the darkness surrounding her. She took a shuddering breath. 

Natalie kept talking, but Vanya couldn’t make out the words. Everything was muffled, dim - bordering on silent. Vanya cupped her hands over her ears on instinct as the pounding of her heart grew louder. She felt sick. Pressure built in her chest. _No, no, no._ Boxes near her rattled, but she tried to keep the surge contained. It _hurt._ Everything ached. She took a step back, and Natalie turned around. “Vanessa?” 

“I can’t -“ Vanya said, and even to her, the words sounded jumbled. “It’s too dark - I need to -“ Luthor was going to lock her up again. Close the door; nothing but darkness. _Turn around!_

She was finally able to move, the energy spiraling around her. Through the posters, she could see the sky. The ringing quieted. _Count_ , said Alison's voice. They’d worked on this technique together. So many comics; too many. But there were four superhero figurines on that shelf. (They shivered a bit - energy finding a place to go.) Three folding tables pushed up against a wall. Two black swivel chairs behind the counter. One door; one way out. It swung open. Power flowed out, into the street. Vanya took a shaking breath. 

Natalie was next to her, her hand hovering near Vanya’s shoulder - wanting to touch, hesitant. “Vanessa? Can you hear me?” In her other hand was a book. She’d found the graphic novel. 

“Yes. Yes, I…” Vanya pulled out her earplugs, one after the other, and shoved them with a shaking hand into the pocket of her jeans. “I’m...I’m sorry.” All she wanted to do was follow that energy, right out the door.

“Nothing to apologize for.” Natalie slowly placed her hand on Vanya’s shoulder. “Anything I can do to help?” 

“N-no, I’m fine.” And she was. Vanya exhaled, slowly. She hadn’t even broken anything! _Thank goodness._ Still, her face flushed.

Natalie withdrew, softly, and went back behind the counter. “Here’s the comic I was talking about.” She slid it across the glass surface. “It’s really, really good, but intense.” 

“Intense is...it’s usually fine.” Vanya touched the cover of the book. “I’ll buy it.” Allison might like it too. It seemed like something she’d enjoy. Maybe. 

Natalie smiled and rang her up. While she slipped it into a bag, she said, “You don’t have to answer, of course - you hardly know me - but do you have panic attacks like that often?” 

Panic attacks. That was one way to put it, actually. “No...not usually. It was...really bad, for a while.” Apocalypticly bad. Can’t-leave-the-house-without-a-sibling-escort bad. Vanya didn’t tell Natalie that part. _You know, just because someone’s nice to you, doesn’t mean they can be trusted._ That voice sounded obnoxiously like Diego. As if she didn’t know that. 

Natalie nodded. “I’ve had times like that, too.” She passed the bag across the counter. For a moment, Vanya didn’t even notice. Again, she blushed, and Natalie laughed. Vanya felt the knot in her chest begin to unravel. Part of her wanted to clutch at it - _come back, common sense._ “It was nice to meet you, Vanessa. I hope I’ll see you again?” Her smile turned a bit mischievous. “Maybe...over coffee? Or something?”

When Vanya froze, it was Natalie’s turn to flush. “I didn’t mean it that way, if you, if you don’t want -“

“No, no…” Vanya could hear Leonard’s voice. _Would you want to have dinner with me tonight?_ “It’s not that. Just...I don’t think I’m ready, for any kind of relationship. I’m -“

“You don’t have to say sorry,” Natalie said. She slipped the shop’s card into the bag. “Maybe another time, Vanessa. And I hope I haven’t scared you away.”

“You haven’t.” Vanya smiled, and hoped it didn’t seem to forced. “Maybe...maybe we get lunch sometime? After I finish Persepolis.” 

“Definitely!” Natalie looked grateful, her smile returning. She tugged on a strand of hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail. “I work most days, around noon, but if you bring me food, I’ll love you forever. Mexican’s my favorite.” She wrote out her number quickly, on the back of the receipt. “Text me, so we don’t miss each other.”

“I will.” Vanya was a little surprised to find that she meant it. Maybe she was being too trusting, but maybe, Leonard didn’t get to ruin all of her relationships. She could make friends - right? “Bye, Natalie. I’ll see you soon.”

“See ya, Vanessa!”

 _Oh shit,_ Vanya thought. _Right. Good going, “Vanessa.”_

The shop’s bell rang behind her, a second goodbye.


End file.
